This invention relates to the field of software and more specifically to software for the fashion industry.
In the fashion industry, paper-based collection books are being used. A collection book provides the details of products in a printed format. This is the typical way product information is shared with customers before products have been manufactured. Product information is manually pulled from multiple source information systems, and is manually formatted to fit within the limits of a printed page.
There are three major shortcomings with paper-based collection books. First, the information presented in the collection books is manually aggregated from multiple source systems, and it is hard to update these collection books as products change in the source systems. Errors are common, and customers are not happy when their order is cancelled or modified because the information available in the collection book was incorrect or incomplete at the time the order was placed.
Second, the information that can be displayed is limited by the physical space available on a page. Collection books end up with a large amount of product information cross referenced with cryptic codes. For example, on one page the customer can see a product image, with codes for the colors, options, and materials the product is offered in under the image. The customer must then go to separate page to look up the details for the codes to understand how to configure the product.
Third, types of media that are shown to buyers is limited to those that can be printed. Companies cannot conveniently offer the buyer videos and three-dimensional models in printed format.
Therefore, there is a need for improvements to the paper-based collection books process. Replacing paper-based collection books with electronic collection books will stimulate sales of the products, especially when the products are presented at live events.